Riot or Protest? That\u2019s what members of East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania\u2019s Debate Society will explore on Wednesday, April 6 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Student Senate Chambers in the University Center at ESU as they examine community reactions to police brutality. This event will begin with a structured, competitive debate between members of ESU\u2019s Douglass Debate Society, a project of the Frederick Douglass Institute at ESU and the Frederick Douglass Institute Collaborative, a statewide organization.<\/p>\n
According Storm Heter, Ph.D., head coach of the debate team and ESU associate professor of philosophy and religious studies, the debaters will consider the following proposition: The civic unrest that followed recent instances of police brutality should be considered protests rather than rioting. One team (affirmative) will argue for the proposition. The other team (opposition) will argue against the proposition. Debaters will be allowed constructive speeches, rebuttal speeches and cross examination periods.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll be tying our debate to the death of Michael Brown that occurred in August 2014,\u201d Heter said. \u201cAccording to media accounts, Brown was a black teenager shot to death by a while police officer, Darren Wilson. Our students will argue whether or not the social unrest that followed, now simply known as \u2018Ferguson,\u2019 was an appropriate community response to police brutality and questioning whether or not community members were exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sponsored by ESU’s department of philosophy and religious studies, the event is open to the general public at no cost. Following the debate, students will join Dr. Heter in conducting a discussion on police brutality and community response.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope campus and community members will come out and become part of a national conversation,\u201d said Heter. \u201cThe process is very interesting and inclusive of its audience.\u201d<\/p>\n